Which of the following is an example of Reaction Formation?

The correct answer is illustrated by a person who despises someone yet acts overly friendly towards them. Reaction formation is a defense mechanism where an individual unconsciously replaces undesirable thoughts or feelings with their opposites, often in a way that is exaggerated or overly pronounced. In this case, the individual’s genuine feelings of disdain are masked by an overly friendly demeanor, demonstrating how they are trying to hide and defend against those negative emotions by exhibiting behavior that starkly contrasts with what they actually feel.

This example clarifies how reaction formation functions as a psychological strategy to cope with uncomfortable feelings. By overtly behaving in a way that contradicts their true feelings of dislike, the person is effectively attempting to suppress that underlying resentment and present a socially acceptable front.

The other options reflect different psychological processes or behaviors but do not exemplify reaction formation. For instance, procrastination indicates avoidance rather than the adoption of opposing emotions, justification involves rationalizing one’s feelings rather than flipping them, and pretending to be sad when feeling happy represents a misalignment of emotional expression rather than an opposite reaction to a negative feeling. Each of these scenarios highlights different types of defense mechanisms, but it is the contrast of feelings and expressed behavior in option A that captures the essence of reaction formation.